601st Naval Air Group
Empire of Japan |allegiance=Empire of Japan |branch= Imperial Japanese Navy |type= Naval aviation unit |role= Fighter, interceptor fighter, bomber, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance |size=225 aircraft (initial) |command_structure=3rd Fleet 1st Carrier Division 3rd Air Fleet |garrison= Atsugi, Japan Seletar, Singapore [[Japanese aircraft carrier Taihō|Aircraft carrier Taihō]] Katori, Japan Hyakuri, Japan Kokubu, Japan |equipment=[[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|A6M Type 0 "Zeke"]] [[Kawanishi N1K|N1K1-J Shiden "George"]] [[Yokosuka D4Y|D4Y Suisei "Judy"]] [[Nakajima B6N|B6N Tenzan "Jill"]] |equipment_label=Aircraft flown |battles= World War II *Battle of the Philippine Sea *Battle of Iwo Jima *Battle of Okinawa *Air raids on Japan |decorations= |current_commander= |identification_symbol= Until 9 July 1944 311 or 11; [[Japanese aircraft carrier Taihō|Aircraft carrier Taihō]] 312 or 12; [[Japanese aircraft carrier Zuikaku|Aircraft carrier Zuikaku]] 313 or 13; [[Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku|Aircraft carrier Shōkaku]] |identification_symbol_2='And after 10 July 1944' 601 }} The was a carrier air group (later converted to airbase garrison unit) of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific campaign of World War II. Structure *'Higher unit' **3rd Fleet (15 February 1944–9 July 1944) **1st Carrier Division (10 July 1944–9 February 1945) **3rd Air Fleet (10 February 1945–postwar.) *'Lower unit' **161st Fighter Squadron (10 July 1944–15 November 1944) **162nd Fighter Squadron (10 July 1944–15 November 1944) **308th Fighter Squadron (20 February 1945–postwar.) **310th Fighter Squadron (20 February 1945–postwar.) **402nd Fighter Squadron (5 March 1945–20 April 1945) **1st Attack Squadron (20 February 1945–postwar.) **161st Attack Squadron (10 July 1944–15 November 1944) **254th Attack Squadron (20 February 1945–5 March 1945) **262nd Attack Squadron (10 July 1944–14 November 1944) **61st Reconnaissance Squadron (10 July 1944–15 November 1944) *'Commanding officers' **Commander Toshiie Irisa (15 February 1944–KIA 19 June 1944, posthumously promoted to Rear-Admiral on same day.) ***Vacant post (20 June 1944–9 July 1944) **Captain Shōichi Suzuki (10 July 1944–14 February 1945) **Captain Toshikazu Sugiyama (15 February 1945–postwar.) File:D4Y4 of 601st NAG in July 1945.jpg|Yokosuka D4Y4 "601 35" of 1st Attack Squadron, July 1945. Bibliography *Shin-Jinbutsuoraisha Co., Ltd., Tōkyō, Japan. **Kingendaishi Hensankai, Military history of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Groups and Imperial Japanese Army Flying Regiments, 2001, ISBN 4-404-02945-4. **''Rekishi Dokuhon'', Document of the war No. 48 Overview of Imperial Japanese Navy Admirals, 1999, ISBN 4-404-02733-8. *The Japanese Modern Historical Manuscripts Association, Organizations, structures and personnel affairs of the Imperial Japanese Army & Navy, University of Tokyo Press, Tōkyō, Japan, 1971, ISBN 978-4-13-036009-8. *''Rekishi Gunzō, History of Pacific War'', Gakken, Tōkyō, Japan. **Vol. 13, Shōkaku class aircraft carrier, 1997, ISBN 4-05-601426-4. **Vol. 22, Aircraft carrier Taihō / Shinano, 1999, ISBN 4-05-602062-0. **Extra, Perfect guide, The aircraft carriers of the Imperial Japanese Navy & Army, 2003, ISBN 4-05-603055-3. *Bunrin-Dō Co., Ltd., Tōkyō, Japan. **''Famous airplanes of the world'' No. 69, Navy Carrier Dive-Bomber "Suisei", 1998, ISBN 4-89319-066-0. **''Koku-Fan Illustrated'' No. 42, Japanese Imperial Army & Navy Aircraft Color, Markig, 1988. **''Koku-Fan Illustrated Special'', Japanese Military Aircraft Illustrated Vol. 2, "Bombers", 1982. *''Model Art'', Model Art Co. Ltd., Tōkyō, Japan. **No. 406, Special issue Camouflage & Markings of Imperial Japanese Navy Bombers in W.W.II, 1993. **No. 458, Special issue Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force Suicide Attack Unit "Kamikaze", 1995. **No. 553, Special issue I.J.N. Carrier Attack Bomber, 2000. *Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (http://www.jacar.go.jp/english/index.html), National Archives of Japan, Tōkyō, Japan. **Reference Code: C08051771200, Transition table of formation of Imperial Japan Navy Air Units (special establishment) during Pacific War, Japan Demobilization Agency, 1949. Category:Groups of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service Category:Military units and formations established in 1944